Editorial in The News, Dec 22, 2022The Afghan Taliban are leaving little to imagination about a complete and unadulterated return to policies of their dark past – especially when it comes to women. The Afghan woman has not had it easy for decades, whether under the 90s’ Taliban regime or during the ‘war on terror’ that wreaked havoc in the country. But the Afghan Taliban seem to have a special anti-women agenda, one that is…
Posts tagged as “Taliban”
By Susannah George in The Washington Post, Dec 21, 2022 at 5:08 p.m. ESTISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Afghan women fear further draconian restrictions, including on girls’ education, after the Taliban this week banned female students from all universities. While the official statement issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Education only covered universities, some female teachers and girls at primary schools in the Afghan capital, Kabul, reported being turned away from classes Wednesday morning. The decision to…
By Nizamuddin Rezahi in Khaama Press online, Dec 21, 2022After taking power last August, the Taliban promised to crack down on narcotics and explicitly ban the production, processing and sale of illicit drugs. The decree issued by the authorities of the interim regime to ban the production and sale of illicit drugs was not inadequately enforced, and Afghanistan’s drug trade started flourishing under the Taliban regime. Following the regime change in August 2021, the economy…
by Kamran Yousuf in The Express Tribune, Dec21, 2022ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is in a fix on the Afghan strategy after recent setbacks that have compelled critics and retired diplomats to call for a review of its policy towards the Afghan Taliban. Background discussions with the people dealing with the matter told The Express Tribune that despite apparent friction in ties with Kabul, Pakistan has no option but to seek engagement with the Afghan Taliban regime. The…
AFP repor, Dec 21, 2022 at 10.01 AM ISTGHAZNI: Kneeling in front of a turbanned judge in a tiny room at the Ghazni Court of Appeal in eastern Afghanistan, an old man sentenced to death for murder pleads for his life. The 75-year-old admits to having shot dead a relative — out of revenge, he says, because of rumours he had sexual relations with his daughter-in-law. Under eye-for-eye sharia punishments, officially ordered by the Taliban’s…
AFP report, Dec 21, 2022 at 09.43 AM ISTWASHINGTON: Pakistan’s foreign minister on Tuesday voiced disappointment over the Taliban’s ban on university education for women but said the best approach remained engagement with Afghanistan’s Islamist rulers. “I’m disappointed by the decision that was taken today,” Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on a visit to Washington. But he said: “I still think the easiest path to our goal — despite having a lot of setbacks…
report in The News, Dec 20, 2022UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Afghan Taliban to prevent terrorist organisations from attacking Pakistan or any other neighbouring country from the Afghan territory, saying the UN was in discussions with the de facto authorities in this regard. “We consider that it is absolutely essential for the Taliban not to allow any form of terrorist activity that might have an impact in relation…
By Umar Cheema in The News, Dec 20, 2022ISLAMABAD: Although border clashes between Pakistan and Afghan forces are worrisome for general public and observers of conflict, Pakistani officials dealing with Afghan Taliban attribute these occurrences to lack of coordination between Kabul and its border security force. They are hopeful of amicable solution soon. “We are more comfortable dealing with the Taliban government than their predecessors in Kabul. Taliban are sincere in resolving the issues. You…
by Abbas Nasir in Dawn, December 18th, 2022The writer is a former editor of Dawn.PAKISTAN’s envoy to Kabul has survived an assassination attempt; the western border is heating up over the fence built to stop terror incursions in erstwhile Fata, incurring the Taliban’s wrath; and the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing has seen bloody firefights with several casualties. If it weren’t for the valour and professional training of the SSG bodyguard who covered the envoy’s body…
Report in Dawn, December 18th, 2022ISLAMABAD: Pakistan should take lead in recognising the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said experts at a conference here. The roundtable ‘Transformation of Taliban from militia to military: prospects, challenges and implications for regional security’ was organised by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The speakers were of the view that the building of the Afghan army by the Taliban may not pose a threat to…
bySaleem Shahid in Dawn, December 18th, 2022QUETTA: As some semblance of normality returned to the Chaman border, a flag meeting between Pakistan and Afghan authorities, scheduled to be held on Saturday, was postponed in favour of a Jirga that would visit Afghanistan for negotiations with the Taliban officials. Efforts by tribal elders and the security forces are underway in a bid to normalise the tense border situation, which was precipitated by Afghan border forces’ shelling…